What Foreigners in Germany Miss Most About Their Home | Easy German 546

Easy German

17 Mar 202414:33

Summary

TLDRIn this video transcript, a group of international individuals discuss what they miss about their home countries while living in Germany. They share their longing for elements such as the sun from Italy, the colorful lifestyle and authentic food from India, the convenience stores from Japan, and the unique flavors from Poland. Each person highlights the cultural differences they experience and the aspects of their home they would like to bring to Germany, from humor and pastries to biodiversity and warmth. The conversation also touches on the Easy German community and its offerings for language learners.

Takeaways

🌍 The participants of the Easy German Meetup come from various countries, sharing their experiences of living in Germany and what they miss about their home countries.
🍜 Food is a common theme of nostalgia, with participants missing specific dishes and the flavors of their home cuisines, such as Indian and Polish specialties.
🏠 The comfort of home is missed by many, such as Janusch who misses the sunny weather and colorful environment of Italy, and others who miss their families and pets.
🛒 Convenience is highlighted as a missed aspect, with mentions of Japan's 24-hour convenience stores and the ease of finding certain items in one's home countries.
🎶 Cultural differences are noted, with a participant from Poland missing the unique humor and language nuances of their country.
🌞 Weather is a significant factor, with participants from Brazil and England missing their home climates, especially during the winter months.
🚗 Practical matters such as transportation and personal belongings, like a participant from Michigan missing their car, are also discussed.
🎉 Social aspects are important, with one participant missing the ability to make noise and the liveliness of their home country, contrasting with the quietness in Germany.
🏞️ Natural beauty and landscapes are missed, particularly by those from countries with diverse geography, such as the participant from Kurdistan who misses the mountains.
📈 The desire for improvement and adaptation is evident, with participants looking for ways to integrate the best aspects of their home countries into their lives in Germany.
🤝 The Easy German community is promoted as a valuable resource for language learners, offering various membership levels and opportunities for practice and interaction.

Q & A

What is the main purpose of the Easy German Meetup?
-The main purpose of the Easy German Meetup is to provide a platform for people learning German to exchange experiences, get help with their language learning, and possibly meet Janusch and other members of the Easy German community.
What does Janusch miss the most from his hometown in Italy?
-Janusch misses the sun from his hometown in Italy, as he finds it to be really gray and depressing in Germany sometimes. He also misses his mother's cooking.
What convenience does the interviewee from Japan miss in Germany?
-The interviewee from Japan misses the convenience stores, known as 'conv', which are ubiquitous and operate 24 hours a day, 365 days a year in Japan.
What kind of freedom does the interviewee from India miss in Germany?
-The interviewee from India misses the freedom to make a lot of noise in his shared flat (WG) as a student, which he had in India where he could sing loudly without restrictions.
What traditional Polish dish does the interviewee from Poland miss in Germany?
-The interviewee from Poland misses 'galletka,' a traditional Polish dish that is not readily available in Germany.
What aspect of the weather does the person from Brazil miss about their home country?
-The person from Brazil misses the winter weather in their home country, as they find the German summer to be quite pleasant but challenging during the winter.
What does the interviewee from England miss about their home country?
-The interviewee from England misses tea, fish and chips, and the variety of fruits and vegetables available in England, as well as the cheerful people and good mood of the English.
What does the person from Michigan miss about their home state?
-The person from Michigan misses their car, a white Mercedes, which they had to sell before moving to Germany.
What does the person from Kurdistan miss about their homeland?
-The person from Kurdistan misses the landscape and the mountains of their homeland, although they are happy to find similar alpine scenery in Germany.
What does the person from Iran miss about their home country when living in Germany?
-The person from Iran misses the warmth and friendliness of the Iranian people, which they sometimes find lacking in Germany.
What would the person from Mumbai bring to Germany if they could?
-The person from Mumbai would bring 'Medik,' which refers to easily accessible medications in the USA, to Germany to make healthcare more convenient.
What does the person from Colombia want to bring to Germany?
-The person from Colombia would like to bring the Christmas traditions, including the festive celebrations that last for at least five days, to Germany.

Outlines

00:00

🌐 Cultural Misses and Adaptation

The paragraph discusses the experiences of various individuals who have moved to Germany and their feelings of missing aspects of their home countries. Topics such as weather, food, language, humor, and cultural nuances are covered. The participants share what they miss the most, from the colorful houses in India to the 24-hour convenience stores in Japan, and the authentic Indian dishes that are not quite the same in Germany. They also touch upon the challenges of adapting to the German lifestyle, such as the lack of noise and the quietness that sometimes leads to feelings of loneliness.

05:02

🍰 Enjoying German Sweets and Missing Home

This paragraph focuses on the participants' appreciation for German sweet dishes, despite missing their home cuisine. It highlights the ease of finding friends back home and the freedom to make noise at any time, which contrasts with the quieter lifestyle in Germany. The conversation also includes the desire to bring certain elements from their home countries to Germany, such as humor from France and biodiversity from Ecuador, including the Galapagos finches.

10:03

🎄 Festive Spirits and Late-Night Shops

The participants in this paragraph discuss what they would bring to Germany from their home countries if given the chance. Ideas range from the Christmas spirit and family from Colombia to the late-night 'Spätis' (late-night shops) that are common in Germany but also appreciated by those from different cultures. There is a shared sentiment of wanting to introduce more friendliness and warmth to Germany, as well as the desire to bring color and vibrancy to the German streets, both in terms of clothing and architecture.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Easy German Meetup

The Easy German Meetup refers to a gathering of individuals interested in learning and practicing the German language. In the context of the video, it is a monthly event held at the GLS Sprachenzentrum, a language center for German learning. The meetup serves as a platform for language exchange and social interaction among learners.

💡Cultural Miss

Cultural Miss refers to the feelings of nostalgia or longing for elements of one's home country while living abroad. In the video, various individuals express what they miss about their home countries, such as food, weather, language, and social aspects, highlighting the personal and emotional aspects of living in a different culture.

💡Language Learning

Language Learning is the process of acquiring new language skills. In the context of the video, it is the main activity that brings the individuals to the meetup. The participants engage in conversations and interviews to practice their German, aiming to improve their language proficiency.

💡Cultural Exchange

Cultural Exchange involves the sharing of ideas, customs, and experiences among people from different cultures. In the video, this concept is embodied by the meetup's purpose, which is to facilitate interaction among individuals from various backgrounds and to learn from each other's cultures.

💡Homesickness

Homesickness is a feeling of sadness or melancholy experienced when one is far from home or missing the comfort and familiarity of their home environment. In the video, several individuals express their longing for aspects of their home countries, which indicates their experience of homesickness.

💡Community

Community refers to a group of individuals who share common interests or activities. In the context of the video, the Easy German community is a group of language learners who come together to support each other in their language learning journey.

💡Authenticity

Authenticity refers to the quality of being genuine, original, and true to one's self or origins. In the video, participants miss the authenticity of their home countries, such as the taste of food or the freedom to express themselves as they did back home.

💡Language Barrier

Language Barrier refers to the difficulty in communication and understanding due to differences in language proficiency. In the video, the language barrier is a central challenge for the participants as they navigate life in a new country where the language may be different from their native tongue.

💡Adaptation

Adaptation is the process of adjusting to new conditions or environments. The video showcases the participants' efforts to adapt to life in Germany by attending language meetups and finding ways to cope with the aspects of their home countries they miss.

💡Cultural Differences

Cultural Differences refer to the variations in customs, traditions, and social norms among different cultures. The video highlights these differences as participants compare their experiences and what they miss from their home countries to life in Germany.

💡Social Interaction

Social Interaction refers to the process of communication and engagement with others. In the video, social interaction is emphasized as an essential part of the language learning process and the cultural exchange that occurs at the meetup.

Highlights

The participants discuss what they miss from their home countries.

Janusch misses the sun and colorful environment from his small village in Italy.

Another participant misses the convenience stores (Convenience Store) from Japan, which are open 24/7.

The freedom to make noise in one's own home is something missed by a participant from India.

A participant from Poland misses the language, humor, and specific local food items like galleretka.

The participant from Ukraine misses their apartment and dogs left behind.

A Brazilian participant finds the weather in Germany challenging during winter.

An English participant misses tea and the variety of fruits and vegetables available in England.

The punctuality and reliability of the Japanese train system are missed by a participant from Japan.

A participant from Michigan, USA, misses their car and the climate.

The simplicity of finding friends and the noise of the city are missed by a participant from a Kurdish background.

The natural landscapes and mountains of the participant's homeland are missed, but the beauty of the Bavarian Alps in Germany is a consolation.

The concept of 'Spätis' (late-night bars) in Germany is something that could be introduced from Colombia.

The participant from India would bring more friendliness and warmth to Germany, as found in Iran.

The participant from Mumbai would bring the colorful clothing and house colors of India to Germany.

The idea of making appointments for social meetings is discussed, with a preference for more spontaneous meet-ups.

The festive nature of Christmas in Colombia, with parties lasting at least 5 days, is something that could be introduced to Germany.

The participants discuss what they would bring from their home countries to Germany, highlighting cultural differences and personal preferences.